Archivedhttps://web.archive.org/web/20250820105958/https://evolt.si/en/blogs/news/how-chinese-sellers-smuggle-e-scooters-and-e-bikes-into-the-eu

Smugglers use sophisticated methods to slip e-bikes and e-scooters past EU customs without paying the required anti-dumping duties, VAT, or tariffs. Some of the most common tactics include false declarations of goods, abuse of special customs procedures, fraudulent VAT schemes, and concealing the true origin of products. Often, these tricks are combined to create complex fraud networks.

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• Product Safety Hazards: Smuggled e-bikes and e-scooters might not comply with EU safety standards. Legitimate importers must ensure vehicles have proper CE markings, certified battery chargers, and adherence to regulations like the Machinery Directive and battery safety rules. Fraudulently imported devices often bypass these checks. This raises the risk of accidents, such as battery fires or electrical malfunctions. Fire authorities warn that many cheap e-bike batteries and conversion kits sold online are dangerous “ticking bombs” that can ignite into ferocious fires. Without proper oversight, substandard lithium batteries or chargers can pose deadly hazards. Buying from an unknown seller who evaded customs means you have no guarantee the product has been tested or is even authentic.
• Unexpected Tax Bills or Seizures: If a package is not properly declared, you as the buyer might get a nasty surprise when it arrives. Under EU rules, all imports are subject to VAT (and duties if over €150). Reputable online platforms usually charge these at checkout or use the Import One-Stop-Shop system. But if a seller ships an e-bike covertly (for example, falsely labelled as a low-value item), customs could intercept it and hold you liable for the unpaid VAT/duties. In practice, delivery couriers may demand that you pay the outstanding import fees (plus administrative charges) before handing over the package. In worse scenarios, the goods might be confiscated by customs for violating import laws, leaving you with no product at all.
• No Warranty or Support: Illicit importers are here today, gone tomorrow. If your e-bike turns out to be defective or the battery dies after a few months, getting after-sales service or a refund could be impossible. Genuine brands sold through authorized dealers usually offer warranties and spare parts. By contrast, many shady marketplace sellers operate through shell companies that disappear (the aforementioned “missing trader” scenario). Consumers on forums have reported instances of ordering e-bikes that were purportedly shipped from a local EU warehouse, only to receive nothing or a useless item in the mail. While major platforms like AliExpress or Amazon may refund blatant scams, it’s a hassle and not guaranteed if the seller has already vanished.
• Ethical and Legal Issues: Purchasing a product that avoided import taxes, even unknowingly, can have broader implications. It contributes to unfair competition against law-abiding businesses and may indirectly support organized fraud. In rare cases, authorities could investigate buyers if there’s evidence of willful involvement in evasion (though enforcement tends to target the sellers). Supporting the gray market undermines the principles of consumer protection and tax fairness.

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The smuggling of e-bikes and e-scooters from China doesn’t just hurt individual consumers – it has wider repercussions for the European economy and industry. First and foremost is the loss of government revenue […] major impact is on fair competition and local businesses […] proliferation of untaxed imports also risks encouraging a race to the bottom [with] law-abiding companies might feel pressure to cut corners to compete, leading to more illicit trade and a further erosion of standards.

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